Petunia plant named ‘Wespeneo’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Wespeneo’, characterized by its cascading plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit; and single salverform red purple-colored flowers.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Petunia×hybrida cultivarWespeneo.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Wespeneo’.

The new Petunia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Sudlohn-Oeding, Germany. The new Petunia originated froma cross-pollination made by the Inventor of a proprietary Petuniaselection identified as 98 P 79, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent with a proprietary Petunia selection identified as 99 P 19, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia was selectedby the Inventor in 1999 in a controlled environment in Sudlohn-Oeding,Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken inSudlohn-Oeding, Germany since 2000, has shown that the unique featuresof this new Petunia are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Wespeneo have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Wespeneo’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Wespeneo’ as a new and distinct Petuniacultivar:

1. Cascading plant habit.

2. Freely branching habit.

3. Dense and bushy growth habit.

4. Single salverform red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia have larger and more intense redpurple-colored flowers than plants of the female parent, the selection98 P 79. Plants of the new Petunia have larger leaves and larger flowersthan plants of the male parent, the selection 98 P 19.

Plants of the cultivar Wespeneo can be compared to plants of the Petuniacultivar Wespur, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,573. However inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Sudlohn-Oeding, Germany, plants ofthe new Petunia and the cultivar Wespur differed in the followingcharacteristics:

1. Plants of the new Petunia had lighter green-colored leaves thanplants of the cultivar Wespur.

2. Plants of the new Petunia had larger flowers than plants of thecultivar Wespur.

3. Plants of the new Petunia had larger sepals than plants of thecultivar Wespur.

4. Flower color of plants of the new Petunia was more red purple thanflower color of plants of the cultivar Wespur.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical plant of ‘Wespeneo’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view of atypical flower and leaves of ‘Wespeneo’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for thephotographs and the description were grown in 12-cm containers duringthe spring and summer for about 20 weeks in a glass-covered greenhouseand under conditions which closely approximate commercial productionconditions in Sudlohn-Oeding, Germany. During the production of theplants, day temperatures were about 20 to 25° C. and night temperatureswere about 16 to 18° C.

Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida cultivar Wespeneo.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Proprietary Petunia×hybrida selection identified as 98 P79, not patented.

Male parent.—Proprietary Petunia×hybrida selection identified as 98 P19, not patented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About 18 days at 20° C.

Time to develop roots.—About 20 to 28 days at 20° C.

Root description.—Numerous, fine, fibrous and well-branched.

Plant description:

Form.—Annual flowering plant; initially upright, then cascading. Viscid,glandular pubescent. Freely continuous basal branching with lateralbranches potentially forming at every node.

Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets, window boxes and patiocontainers.

Plant height (from soil level to top of plant plane).—About 15 cm.

Plant diameter.—About 60 cm.

Stem description.—Main branches, length: About 65 to 75 cm. Mainbranches, diameter: About 3.2 mm. Lateral branches, length: About 44 cm.Lateral branches, diameter: About 2.7 mm. Internode length: About 4.3cm. Texture: Densely pubescence. Color: 146B.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Before flowering, alternate; afterflowering, opposite; simple. Length: About 7.9 cm. Width: About 3.4 cm.Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Aspect:Flat. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely pubescent. Venationpattern: Pinnate. Petiole length: About 1.8 cm. Petiole diameter: About2.2 mm. Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color:Young foliage, upper surface: 144A. Young foliage, lower surface: 144Ato 144B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 146A. Fully expandedfoliage, lower surface: 146B. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 144A.Petiole, upper and lower surfaces: 144A.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Single salverform flowers; flowers face upwardand outward; single, axillary. Flowers persistent. Freely flowering.

Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; flowering from Apriluntil frost in the autumn in Germany; flowering continuous during thisperiod.

Fragrance.—None detected.

Flower longevity on the plant.—About one week.

Flower size.—Diameter: About 7.3 cm. Depth (height): About 3.7 cm. Tubelength: About 3 cm. Throat diameter, distal end: About 1.5 cm. Tubediameter, proximal end: About 3.6 mm.

Flower buds.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm. Shape: Oblong.Color: Towards apex, 72B to 78D; towards base, 145C.

Petals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five petals, fused intoflared trumpet. Length from throat: About 3.5 cm. Width: About 3.2 cm.Shape: Roughly spatulate. Apex: Mostly rounded, broad. Margin: Entire,undulate. Texture: Smooth, satiny. Color: When opening, upper surface:66A. When opening, lower surface: 68D; towards margin, 68A. Fullyopened, upper surface: 66A to 66B; color becoming closer to 74B withsubsequent development. Fully opened, lower surface: 68C; towardsmargin, 68B. Flower throat (inside): 75B. Flower tube (outside): 64D.Venation, upper surface: 70A. Venation, lower surface: 66A. Venation,throat: Primary veins, 184A; secondary veins, 71C. Venation, tube: 145A.

Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals, fused atbase; star-shaped. Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape:Linear. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:Densely pubescent. Color, upper surface: 146A to 146B. Color, lowersurface: 146B.

Peduncles.—Length: About 3.4 cm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Strength: Flexibleand wiry, holding flowers outwardly. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144A.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower. Anther shape:Four-parted, reniform. Anther length: About 2.5 mm. Anther diameter:About 2.1 mm. Anther color: 157A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:156C. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 2.4 cm.Stigma shape: Triangular. Stigma color: 146A; towards margin, 145A.Style length: About 1.8 cm. Style color: 145B. Ovary color: 144A.

Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been notedto be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Petunia.

Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed tobe tolerant to temperatures from 2 to 30° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named‘Wespeneo’, as illustrated and described.